PHISH VEGAS 96 TO BE RELEASED NOVEMBER 20
THREE-DISC SET FEATURES THE COMPLETE RECORDING
OF PHISH'S FIRST LAS VEGAS APPEARANCE
On December 6, 1996, Phish played their debut gig in Las Vegas. It was the final show in a 35-date fall tour that stretched across the country, and it was the first in what became a loose tradition of off-the-wall, humorous and irreverent Vegas appearances. This celebrated first show, known as Vegas 96, will be released on November 20 by JEMP Records. Featuring three hours of music Vegas 96 captures the spirit of a band near the peak of its powers pulling out all the stops. In addition to the three-disc standard edition containing the entire concert along with one of Phish's most memorable and elaborate encores—a special Limited Edition Vegas 96 includes a DVD of archival footage and an extensive 40-page bound-book, featuring photos from the show.
Vegas 96 is revered for many reasons, but the most unforgettable part of the show is its marathon-like encore. Centered on the mythic and rarely performed song "Harpua" - which tells the humorous story of a boy and his cat, Poster Nutbag— the encore segues in and out of several other songs (including Elvis' "Suspicious Minds") for over 30 minutes. With a host of special guests onstage including Les Claypool and Larry LaLonde of Primus and multi-instrumentalist John McEuen, this historic "Harpua" is a landmark foray into complete pandemonium that is still discussed in fan circles today.
Phish displays many of their most compelling traits on Vegas 96: they string together old classics in new ways; they host a parade of special guests; they act out stories; and attempt to conjure The King with four Elvis Presley impersonators onstage. This show features hallmark full-band improvisation, epic art rock, favorite covers by Frank Zappa, Edgar Winter and Led Zeppelin, a group of yodelers, half of the band Primus, and Malachi (actor Courtney Gains) from the film Children of the Corn. Above all, Vegas 96 is non-stop, unabashed fun — a truly historic rock and roll event and a significant milestone in Phish's storied touring history.
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